Chaine: We Are Not Favourite In The Derby
Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine has played it down that the Buccaneers hold a favourites tag against Kaizer Chiefs having won the last three Soweto Derbies.
He said it doesn’t mean they have more confidence that they will win against Chiefs as those matches were played a long time ago.
Pirates will host Chiefs in what is the mother of all matches in South Africa – the Soweto Derby number 181st at FNB Stadium on Saturday (15:30).
However, Pirates go to this game as favourites having beaten Chiefs in both league matches last season for the first time since the 2008/09 season under Rudi Krol.
Pirates also beat Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup semi-final in the 2022/23 season, the season they lost both league matches to Chiefs under Arthur Zwane.
This has added a layer to the fact that Pirates are seen as heavy favorites going to this mammoth match as they are also lying second in the Betway Premiership with 27 points after 11 matches, six points ahead of Chiefs who have played three more games.
But Chaine sees it differently.
“I think the [last three] games are too far for you to say you have confidence that you won the last three derbies,” Chaine said.
“I think it’s just a different game like every game the way we prepare for. We’ll not prepare this game like the Richards Bay game because every game and every team has its dynamic and that’s why we prepare each game.
“It doesn’t matter who we play, and our main focus is on the team that we are playing against this weekend to get maximum points.”
Meanwhile, the former Chippa United goalkeeper also opened up about how his career has changed since he joined Pirates.
“There’s a lot of time where I didn’t play much in my career, and like I said earlier this is the first time I find myself being a regular player,” the Bafana Bafana keeper added.
“For myself, I’ve always strived to be the best football player that I can be. I always strive to get better every day, every game, and every week in and week out.
“But all in all, for me it’s about coming to training to try to improve every aspect of my goalkeeping.
“It’s not the easiest thing because everything is out there and football is a game where you have a good game and not have a good game, but you have to stay focused and try to achieve as a football player.
“For me to always do well I think we know what it takes to be the best football players.
“The examples are there across the world, and we know how to stay there and we need to stay constant, always improve, and always get better.”
As it usually the case, this match will be played in front of the capacity as tickets were sold out two weeks ago.
